In 1994, the URA acquired the land that now holds the Centre Heldman Plaza located in the Crawford-Roberts neighborhood.

In 2011, the URA sold the property to Centre Heldman Plaza, LLC, a subsidiary of the Hill House Economic Development Corporation, who developed a shopping plaza with multiple storefronts and surface parking. Many entities lent money to the development, including the URA.

At some point, Centre Heldman Plaza, LLC stopped making debt payments and the primary lender, Dollar Bank, began foreclosure proceedings to try to recoup the $1.6 million it was owed.

At foreclosure, the plaza would have been sold to the highest bidder, which would most likely be a speculator that would hold onto the property. The URA did not want this to happen. In order to prevent the property from being sold to the highest bidder, the URA exercised its right as a subordinate lender to cure the monetary default of the plaza.

In November 2019, the URA Board cast a series of votes to gain site control of the property to protect the future of this community asset. The URA has short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for the site, which are listed below.In 1994, the URA acquired the land that now holds the Centre Heldman Plaza located in the Crawford-Roberts neighborhood.

In 2011, the URA sold the property to Centre Heldman Plaza, LLC, a subsidiary of the Hill House Economic Development Corporation, who developed a shopping plaza with multiple storefronts and surface parking. Many entities lent money to the development, including the URA.

At foreclosure, the plaza would have been sold to the highest bidder, which would most likely be a speculator that would hold onto the property. The URA did not want this to happen. In order to prevent the property from being sold to the highest bidder, the URA exercised its right as a subordinate lender to cure the monetary default of the plaza.

In November 2019, the URA Board cast a series of votes to gain site control of the property to protect the future of this community asset. The URA has short-term, medium-term, and long-term plans for the site, which are listed below.

Short-term: Maintain food access, lease vacant storefronts in the plaza

The URA has arranged for a small Green Grocer to operate at the Centre Heldman Plaza. This will maintain residents' access to fresh food in the Hill District. The URA is looking to lease the vacant spaces in the plaza. To understand the types of businesses interested in locating there, the URA issued a Request for Interested Tenants (RFI) on March 2, 2020. Those who respond to the RFI will be
presenting their ideas for the space at a community meeting for feedback.

Medium-term: Look for grocery tenant

There will be a community engagement process to vet any potential grocery store operators who may be interested in moving into the Plaza. This community process will be done in tandem with the Hill CDC’s Development Review Panel (DRP). No decision will be made without community input.

Long-term: Engage the community to develop a site activation plan for the Plaza

To better understand the community’s desires for the site, the Department of City Planning and the URA are undertaking a site activation plan for the Plaza. The Master Plan was originally completed in 2011 and has served as the neighborhood’s comprehensive plan since that time. It contains separate sections on real estate, housing, commercial development, green space and community needs. The 2020 update will revisit some sections of the plan and engage the community to create a complimentary site activation plan for Centre Heldman Plaza.

The process to update and adopt the Greater Hill District Master Plan will continue the inclusive and collaborative undertaking for improving and continuing to “Build Upon the African American Cultural Legacy”. Whether you are a resident, work in the Hill District, or are another kind of stakeholder, we want to hear from you.

This neighborhood planning process will update and enhance the Greater Hill District Master Plan (2011) and incorporate other community plans including the Greenprint (2009) and the Centre Avenue Redevelopment and Design Plan (2015).

Pittsburgh can meet its goals to achieve a more sustainable and equitable future through the collective action of our neighborhoods. Community input informed the creation of citywide goals that are now being translated into action through a new generation of neighborhood plans.

Pittsburgh’s neighborhood plans focus on four topics areas:

• Community: Meeting the needs of residents, employees, students, and stakeholders.
• Development: Maximizing the benefits of new development for the community.
• Mobility: Making it easier, safer, and healthier for people to get around.
• Infrastructure: Nourishing neighborhoods through new energy, stormwater, and open space systems.

The Original Greater Hill District Master Plan (September 2011)

Goals:

• Building upon the African American cultural legacy;
• Creating family-friendly housing without displacement;
• Fostering economic empowerment and commercial development;
• Making the Hill District a green and well-designed community; and
• Mobility, Transportation, and Parking.

Development Guidance:

• Development Strategies (Appendix A)
  • Address/Right Historical Wrongs
  • Promote Economic Justice
  • Reflect Neighborhood Driven Civic Design
  • Promote a Green and Healthy Environment
  • Utilize Neighborhood Strengths and Assets
• Non-Displacement Strategies (Appendix B)
• Strategies for Reclaiming the Lower Hill (Appendix C)

Additional Studies identified:

• Community Arts Plan
• Education/Lifelong Learning Plan
• Historic Preservation
• Neighborhood Safety and Crime Reduction
• Zoning Review
• Transportation and Access Study

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee is a collaborative group comprised of representatives for the organizations, businesses, institutions, and residents of the Hill District. The Committee works with public agency staff to develop the Public Engagement Plan, review the work of the Action Teams, help to develop the resulting plan and support the plan's adoption. Organizations will also be asked to commit to working on the plan's implementation. Committee members are expected to participate fully in the planning process, represent their organization and themselves, and report back to the community.

Co-Chairs

The Greater Hill District Master Plan Steering Committee co-chairs are Hill CDC President and CEO Marimba Milliones & Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle.

Staff

The following organizations are contributing to the Oakland Plan process by helping to run the Steering Committee and Action Teams.

In order to maintain equitable public input and keep everyone safe and healthy, the City of Pittsburgh is utilizing online engagement tools. Materials will be posted for longer periods of time on websites that are mobile friendly, and all virtual engagements will be recorded and posted for later viewing. As we continue to roll out improvements that address issues around the digital divide.